y !
I
A
'ts
HIS ANNUAL MESSAGE
Synopsis of the President's Rec
ommendations to Congress.
He Touchc Uj) on Mnny Important
QucfttlmiH Anionic Them Trunin,
Irrigation "Works, Inthmlnn
Cnnul nml Other Thlnjcn.
The following is a comprehensive sum
mary of President Iloosovolt's message to
congress:
The president begins his first annual
communication with an official announce
mont of the death of tho late President
McKlnlcy, and a eulogy of his former
chief In which he says:
"It Is not too much to say that at the
time of President McKlnley's death ho
Was the moot widely-loved man In all tho
"United States, while we havo ncvor had
any public man of his position who has
been so wholly freo from the bitter ani
mosities Incident to public life Ills po
litical opponents wero tho first to bear
tho heartiest md most generous tribute
to tho broad kindliness of naturo, the
Awcetncss r.nd gentleness of character
which so end oared him to Tils -close asso
ciates. To a standard of lofty Integrity
In public llfo Jie united the tender affec
tions and lib mo virtues which arc all
important ln the makeup -of national
character. A gallant soldier In the great
"war for tho union, he also shono as an
example to all our people because of his
conduct In the most sacred and lntlmato
of home relations. Thero could bo no
personal hatred of "him, for lie never act
d with aught but consideration for tho
welfare of others. No one could fall 'to
respect him who knew him In public or
private life. The defenders of those mur
derous criminals who seek to oxcuso their
criminality by asserting that It Is exor
cised for political ends Inveigh against
wealth and Irresponsible power. But for
this assassination even this baso apology
'Cannot bo urged."
"The shock, the grief of tho country, are
"bitter in the minds of all who saw the
dark days while the president yet hovered
between life and death. At last tho light
was stilled In tho kindly eyes, and the
breath went from tho lips that even In
mortal agony uttered no words save of
forgiveness to his murderer, of love for
his friends and of unfaltorlng trust In tho
will of tho Most High. Such a death
crowning the glory of such a life leaves
us with lnlinlto sorrow, but with such
pride In what he had accomplished and In
his own personal character that wo feel
the blow not us struck at him, but as
Btruck at the nation. Wo mourn a good
and great president who Is dead, but
while wo mourn wo are lifted up by tho
splendid achievements of his life and tho
grand heroism with which ho met his
death."
In the same connection he makes
atrong recommendations as to how the
nation should deal with anarchy. Ho
urges that the preaching or teaching of
anarchy be not permitteu, nnu requests
congress to enact legislation that will
prevent anarchists from foreign countries
landing upon our shores. Ho would also
have tho federal courts given Jurisdiction
over any man who kills, or attempts to
kill, the president of the country, or any
person who is In lino for succession to
the presidency. He has no fear, howevor,
that the country will evor fall Into an
archy. The TrnitH.
'.The president sees cause for .congratu
lation lor the nation In the business condi
tions of the present, but sees In the "tre
mendous and highly complex Industrial
development which went on with ever ac
celerated rapidity during the latter halt
of the nineteenth century" a serious social
problem for the present and future. He
does not believe that the old laws and old
customs are sufficient to regulate the ac
cumulation and distribution of wealth of
the present time. He does not attribute
the creation of great corporate fortunes
to the existence of a protective tariff, "nor
to any other governmental action, but to
natural causes In the business world, op
erating In other countries as they operate
In our own." In this connection he says:
"The process has aroused much antago
nism, a grent part of which is wholly
without warrant. It Is not truo that s
the rich have grown richer the poor, have
grown poorer. On tho contrary, never be
fore hits the average man, the wage
worker, the farmer, the small trader,
been bo well off as In this country and
nt the present time. There have been
.abuses conntcled with tho accumulation
of wealth, yet It .remains truo that a for
tune accumulated in legitimate business
can he accumulated by the person spe
cially benefited only on condition of con
ferring immense Incidental benefits upon
others. Successful enterprise of the type
which benefits all mankind can only ex
ist if the conditions are such as to offer
great prizes as the rewards of success."
But while he realizes existing condi
tions, he emphasizes tho fact that congress
In providing remedies must act with cau
tion, as the men nnd corporations "who
have built up our commorce and driven our
railroads across tho continent havo done
great good to our people, and without
-them the material development of which
we aro so Justly proud could never have
taken place. Moreover, we should recog
nise the Immense Importance to this ma
terial development of leaving as unham
pered as Is compatible with tho public
good the strong and forceful men upon
-whom the success of business operations
Inevitably rests. The slightest study of
business conditions will satisfy anyono
capablo of forming a Judgment that the
personal aquation Is the most Important
factor in a business operation: that the
business ability of the man at the head of
any business concern, big or little, is usual
ly the factor which fixes tho gulf between
striking success and hopeless failure."
'Ho points to tho fact that In the past
"tho Ignorant or reckless agitator has
tioen tho really effective friend of the
evils which ho has been nominally oppos
ing In dealing with business Interests
for the government to undertnke by
crude and lll-consldrrcd legislation to do
what may turn out to bo bad would be
to Incur the risk of such far-reaching na
tional disaster that it would bo prefer
able to undertake nothing at all. Tho
men who demand the Impossible or the
undesirable serve as the allies of the
forces with which they arc nomlnully at
war, for they hamper those who would
endeavor to find out In rational fashion
what tho wrongs really are and to what
extent and In what manner It Is prac
ticable to apply remedies."
Kcnicdlcn for the Trimt lSvll.
I3ut while he says the abovo Is true, he
yet sees many evils for which there should
be remedies provided. Of these evils the
chief is over capitalization, "becatuo of
Its mnny baleful consequences."' Me says:
"The conviction of the American people
that tho great corporations, known r.s
trusts, are In certain of their features and
tendencies hurtful to the general welfare,
is based upon sincere conviction that com
bination and concentration should be not
prohibited, but supervised and within
reasonable limits controlled, and in my
Judgment this conviction is right."
Ah a remedy for these evils ho says:
"The llrst essential In determining how
to deal with tho great Industrial com
binations 1h knowledge of the facts
publicity. In the interest of tho public
tho government should have the right to
Inspect and examine the workings of
tho grent corporations engaged in Inter
state business. Publicity Is the only sure
remedy which wo cun now Invoke. What
further remedies are needed In tho way
of governmental regulation or taxation
enn only bo determined after publicity
has been obtained by process of law and
la till' course of administration. The first
requisite Is knowledge, full and complete
knowledge which may bo tnndo public
to the world.
"Artificial bodies, such as corporations
nnd Joint stock or other associations de
pending upon any statutory law for their
existence or privileges, should be subject
to proper governmental supervision, and
full and accurate Information ns to their
operations should bo mnde public regu
larly at reasonable Intervals."
"Tho largo corporations, commonly
called trusts, though' organized In one
state, nlwaya do business In mnny states,
often doing very llttlo business In the
state whero they aro Incorporated. There
Is utter lack of uniformity In the state
laws about them, and as no state has
any excluslvo Interest In or power over
their acts It has In practtco proved Im
possible to get adoquato regulation
through Btato action. Therefore In tho
Interest of the wholo people the nation
should, without Interfering with tho pow
er of the states In the mattor Itself, also
assume power of supervision and regula
tion over all corporations doing an inter
state business. This Is especially true
where tho corporation derives a portion
of Its wealth from tho existence of some
monopolistic element or tendency In its
business. There would bo no hardship In
such supervision. Banks are subject to
It, and In their case It Is now accepted
as a simple matter of course Indeed It
is probablo that supervision of corpora
tions by tho national government need
not go so far as Is now the case with tho
supervision exercised over them by so
conservative a state as Massachusetts In
order to produce excellent results."
The president bolleves that It will be
possible to secure the needed remedies
for tho trust ovll under thvj constitution
as It now exists, but If congress thinks
otherwise ho recommends that a eonr.tltu
llon.il amendment be subm ttcd tnat will
cot for tho po -t- necessary.
In connection with tho trusts he rec
ommends legislation creating a cabinet of
flcn", to bo kpown cs .icistnry of vu
n oiffi, whoue di tie9 would bo to deal
wltn an qu lotions concern g commerce,
later and th-j mfchant mannc.
"Would Bxclnde the Chinese.
Tho message domains a strong rcom
Ttiendatlon for tie reenactment at .inco
of tho present Chinese exclusion act, In
which connection he says:
"Wages aro higher to-day In tho United
States than ever before In our history
and far higher than In any other coun
try. The standard of living is also higher
than ever before. Every effort of iocI.s-
lator and administrator should bo bent to
secure tho pcrmanenpy of thl condition
of things and Its Improvement wherever
possible. Not only must our labor be
protected by the tariff, but It should also
be protected so far as It Is possible from
tho presence in this country of any la
borers brought over by contract or of
those who, coming freely, yet represent
a standard of living so depressed that
they can undersell our men in tho labor
market and drag thorn to a lower level.
I regard It as necessary, with this end
in view, to rconact Immediately tho law
excluding Chinese laborers and to
strengthen It wherever necessary In or
der to make Its enforcement entirely ef
fective." He also recommends such legislation, by
an amendment to the Interstate commerce
law, as will protect the labor of one state
from competing with the prison labor of
another state, and also tnat the govern
ment cease being a party to this competi
tion by not purchasing goods madeIthcr
by convict labor or that In which women
and children are caused to work excessive
hours or at night.
He pronounces our present Immigration
laws unsatisfactory. In which connection
he says "we need every honest and ef
ficient Immigrant fitted to become an
American citizen, every immigrant who
comes hero to stay, who brings hare a
strong body, a good head and a resolute
purpose to.de his duty well In everyway
and to bring up his children as law-abiding.
God-fearing members of the community."
The Tariff.
The president does not desire any change
In the present tariff schedule except where
such may be made In reciprocity treaties,
and recommends the adoption of reciproc
ity treaties and tho general policy of reci
procity as a means of opening the doors of
foreign nations to our commerce, in which
connection he says:
"Subject to this proviso of the proper
protection necessary to our Industrial
well being at home the principle of reci
procity must command our hearty sup
port. The phenomenal growth of our
export trade emphasizes tho urgency of
the need for wider markets and for a lib
eral policy In dealing with foreign na
tions. Whatever Is merely petty and vex
atious in the way of trade restrictions
should be avoided. The customers to
.whom we dispose of our surplus products
in the long run directly or indirectly pur
chase those surplus products by giving us
something in return. Their ability to pur
chase our products should as far as pos
sible be secured by so arranging our tar
iff as to enable us to take from them
those products which we can uso without
harm to our own Industries and labor or
the use of which will bo of murked benefit
to us.
"The natural line of development for a
policy of reciprocity will be In connection
with thoso of our productions which no
longer require all of the support once
needed to establish them upon a sound
basis, and with those others where either
because of natural or of economic causes
we aro beyond the reach of successful
competition.
"I ask the attention of the senate to the
reciprocity treaties laid before It by my
predecessor."
The Merchant Marine.
The president pronounces our merchant
marine "discreditable to us ns a nation and
Insignificant to that of other nations which
we overtop in other forms of business,"
and says ws "should not longer submit to
conditions under which only a trilling por
tion of our great commerce is carried in
our own ships. Of this ho says:
"To remedy this state of things would not
merely serve to build up our shipping in
terests, but it would nluo result In bentllt
to all who are Interested In the perma
nent establishment of 't wider market foi
American products nr.d would provide an
auxiliary force for the rnvy. Ships work
lor their own countries just as railroads
work for their terminal points. Shipping
llriv.H, if established to the principal coun
tries with which we have dealings, would
be of political as well as commercial ben
efit. From every t-tandpolnt It is unwise
for the United fctnte.' to continue to rely
upon the ships of competing nations for the
distribution of ou goods. It should be
marie) advantageous to carry American
goods l:i American built ships."
Fliinnccrt,
Under this htudlng the president recom
mends such legislation as will better safe
guard ngnlnst the .leivnglng Influences of
commercial crises and llnniiclnl panics and
such ns will make the currency of the
country more respond Ive to the demands
of domestic trado nnd commerce,
Ho points out the lact that the receipts
from d u Hub in Impoits and Internal taxes
exceed the expt iicl'lures of the govern
ment, but counsels ar.nlr.Et reducing the
revenues ao that there wbl bj the possi
bility of ,i deficit.
"But nfter providing ngalr.Ft any such
contingency .T.onns should bo adopted
which- will bring the revenues more nearly
within tho limit of our actual needs."
Inter-Stntc Commerce,
Ho points to defects In the Interstntc
commerce Inw, and recommends amend
ments to correct them, In which connection
ho says:
"The act should bo amended. The rail
way Is a public servant. Its rates should
bo Just to and open to all shippers alike,
The government should seo to It that
within Its Jurisdiction this Is so nnd
should provide a speedy, Inexpensive and
effective remedy to that end. At tho same
tlmo It must not he forgotten that our
railways aro tho arteries through which
the commercial Ufeblood of this nation
flowg. Nothing could bo more foolish thnn
the enactment of legislation which would
unnecessarily Interfere with tho develop
ment and operation of theso commercial
agencies."
AKrlcnltnrnl Interest.
The president cites tho forest legislation
of the past and. tho great good of forest
preserves to the people, and s.iys they will
Inevitably be of still greater value. Con
tinuing, ho says: . ..
"At present the protection of the forest
reserves rests with the general land olllce,
tlip mnnnlni; nnd description of their tim
ber with the United States geological sur
vey and tho preparation of plans for their
conservative use with the bureau of for
estry, which is also charged with the gen
eral advancement of practical forestry lit
the United States. Theso various func
tions should be united In the bureau of
forestry, to which they properly belorg.
The present diffusion of responsibility Is
bad from every standpoint. It prevents
that effective cooperation between the
government and tho men who utilize the
resources of tho reserves, without which
the Interests of both must suffer. The
sclentlllc bureau generally should be nut
under the department of agriculture. The
president should have by law the power
of transferring lands for use as forest re
serves to the department of agriculture.
He already has "such'power In the case- of
lands needed by the departments of war
and the navy."
lrrlfrntlon.
Irrigation In connection with the waste
lands of tho west Is a question to which
the president gives considerable attention,
and makes strong recommendations for
government assistance In reclaiming the
waste lands by assisting in their Irriga
tion and the control of water rights wher
ever that Is possible, and of this he says:
"In the arid region It Is water, not land,
which measures production. Tho western
half of tho Unltad States would sustain u
population greater than that of our wholo
country to-day If the waters that now run
to waste were saved and used for Irriga
tion. The forest and water problems are
perhaps the most vital Internal questions
of the United States.
"The forests alone cannot, however, fully
regulate and conservo the waters of tho
arid region. Great storage works are nec
essary to equalize the flow of streams and
to savo the flood waters. Their construc
tion has been conclusively shown to be an
undertaking too vast for private effort.
Nor can it bo best accomplished by the In
dividual states acting alone. Far-reaching
Interstate problems are Involved, and the
resources of single states would often bo
tnndccniii.tc It Ih tirnnorlv n natlonnl
function, at least In some of Its features.
It Is as right for tho national government
to make the streams and rivers of tho
arid region useful by engineering works
for water storago as to make usuful tliu
rivers and harbors of the humid region by
engineering works of another kind. Tho
storing of the Hoods In reservoirs at tho
headwaters of our rivers Is but an en
largement of our present policy of river
control under which levees are built on
the lower reaches of the same streams.
"The government should construct and
maintain these reservoirs us It does other
public works. Whero their purposo Is to
regulate tho flow of streams the water
should be turned freely Into the channels
In tho dry season to tako the same course
under the same laws as the natural flow.
"Thn reclamation and settlement of tho
arid lands will enrich every portion of
our country, Just as the settlement of the
Ohio and Mississippi valleys brought pros
perity to tho Atlantic states. Tho In
creased demand for manufactured arti
cles will stimulate Industrial production,
while wider home markets and the trado
of Asia will consume tho larger food sup
plies and effectually prevent western
competition with eastern agriculture. In
deed, the productB of Irrigation will be
consumed chiefly In upbuilding local cen
ters of mining and other Industries which
would otherwise not come Into existence
at all. Our people as a whole will protlt,
for successful homemaklng Is but another
name for the upbuilding of the nation."
He counsels ngainst attempting too much
at the beginning, but advises that We let
experience on a small plan teach the pos
sibilities of greater undertakings. He also
cites the conditions under which the bot
tlers of the west are attempting to build
homes on these arid lands, and says:
"The security and value of the homes
created depend largely on the stability of
titles to water, but the majority of these
rest on tho uncertain foundation of court
decisions rendered In ordinary suits at
law. With a few creditable exceptions,
the arid states havo failed to provide for
the certain and Just division of streams In
times of scarcity. Iax and uncertain laws
havo made It possible to establish rights
to water in excess of actual uses or ne
cessities, and many strenms have already
passed Into private ownership or a control
equivalent to ownership.
"In the arid states the only right to water
which should be recognized Is that of use.
In Irrigation this right rhould attach to
the land reclnlmed and be Inseparable
therefrom. Granting perpetual water
rights to other than users without
compensation to the public is open to all
the objections which upply to giving away
perpetual franchises to the public utili
ties of the cities. A few of the western
states have already recognized this and
have incorporated in their constitutions
the doctrine of perpetual stato ownership
of water."
The Colonic. .
Considerable attention Is given the col
onies, and especially the Philippines. This
section of the message begins by citing
tho needs of Hawaii and Porto Itlco, of
which he says:
"In Hawaii our aim must be to develop
the territory on tho traditional American
lines. We do not wish a region of large
estates tilled by cheap labor. Wo wish n
healthy American community of men
who themselves till the farms they own.
All our legislation for the Islands should
be shaped with this end In view. The well
being of the average homemaker must
afford tho true test of the healthy devel
opment of tho islands. The land policy
should as nearly as possible be modeled
on our homestead system."
Of Porto ltlco ho says the island Is thriv
ing aa never before, and Is being adminis
tered etllclently and honestly. Ho deems
no legislation necessary except that con
cerning the public lands of the Island.
He calls attention to the fact that In
Cuba the independent government of the
Island' will soon be In control, and in the
bame connection urges strongly the need
of reciprocal trado relations with the new
nation, upon which subject he suys:
"In the ense of Cuba there are weighty
reasons of morality and of national Inter
est why the policy should bo held to have
a peculiar application, and 1 most earnest
ly ask your attention to tho wisdom, Indeed
to the vital need, of providing for a sub
Ptantlal reduction In the tariff duties on
Cuban imports Into the United States
Cubn hns In her constitution ufllrmpd what
we desired that me should stnnd In Inter
national matters In closer and more friend
ly relations with us thnn with any other
power, and we are bound by every consid
eration of honor nnd expediency to pass
commercial mensures In tho interest of
her material well being."
For tho Philippines he recommends much
In the way of legislation, but again coun
sels caution that we go neither too far nor
with too great hnste. He says: "'e hope
to mako our administration of the Islands
honorablo to our nntlon by making It of the
highest benefit to tho Filipinos themselves,
and as an earnest of what wo Intend to do
wo point to what we have done
Already a greater measure of material
prosperity and of governmental honesty
and efllclency hns been attained In the
Philippines than ever before In their his
tory." , ,
He says we do not deslro to do for the
Islanders "merely whnt has elsewhere been
done for tioplc peoples by even the best
foreign governments. Ue hope to do for
them what has never before been done for
any people of tho tropica to mako them
fit for self-government after tho fashion of
thn really free nntlons.'
But the Idea of tho president Is that wo
cannot leave tho Islands at this time, of
which he says: "To leave the Islands nt
this time would mean that they would
fall Into a welter of murderous unarchy.
Such a desertion of duty on our part
would bo a crime against humanity."
But he believes sulllclent progress hns
been made along the llneB under which wo
havo been working In the Islands to war
rant us In passing new legislation, but In
this connection he urges the need of cnu
tlon. Ho believes the time hns come when
the Industries of which the Islands nre
capable should bo encouraged by granting
franchises' for their duvclopmcnt, and of
this ho snys:
"Not to permit this Is to-do a wrong to
the Philippines. The franchises must be
granted and tho business permitted only
untJer regulations which will gunrnnteo tho
lslnnds ngnlnst any kind of Improper ex
ploitation, But tho vast natural wraith
of the lslnnds must bo developed, nnd tho
capital willing to develop It must be given
the opportunity. The Held must bo thrown
open to Individual enterprise, which has
been tho real factor in the development of
every region over which our flag has flown.
It Is urgently nccessnry to enact suitable
laws dealing with general transportation,
mining, banking, currency, homesteads nnd
the use nnd ownership of the lands and
timber. Theso laws will give free play to
Industrial enterprise, and the commercial
development which will surely follow will
afford to the people of tho Islands the
best proofs of tho sincerity of our desire
to aid them." . , ,
The construction of a Pnclflo cnblo Is
also urged, either that tho government
lay such a cablo to connect Hawnll and
tho Philippines, or that an arrangement
be mndo by which the advantages ac
cruing from a government cnblo may bo
secured to tho government by contract
with a prlvnto cable company. This ho
deems necessary for uotn commercial,
political and military considerations.
The Inthmlnn Catinl.
He calls attention to tho need of an
lsthmlnn rnnnl. and says:
"Its importance to tho nation Is by no
means limited merely to Its material ef
fects upon our business prosperity, and
yet with a view to theso effects ulono it
would bo to tho last degree Important
for us Immediately to begin It. While Its
beneficial effects would porhaps be most
marked upon tho Pacific conBt and tho
gulf and south Atlantic states, It would
also greatly benefit other sections. It Ib
emphatically a work which It Is for tho
Interest of tho entire country to begin
and complete ns soon ns possible; It Is
one of thoso great works which only a
great nation can undertnko with pros
pects of success and which when dono
are not only permanent assets In tho tui
tion's material Interests, but standing
monuments to its constructive ability."
Of the new treaty recently concluded
with England ho saya: "I nm glnd to bo
able to announce to you that our negotia
tions on this subject with Great Britain,
conducted on both sides In a spirit of
friendliness and mutual good will and re
spect, have resulted In my being ablo to
lay before tho scnato a treaty which If
ratified will enable us to begin preparations
for an Isthmian canal at any tlmo and
which guarantees to this nation every right
that It has ever neked In connection with
the cnnal. In this trenty the old Clnyton
Bulwcr trenty, so long recognized as In
ndequato to supply the baso for the con
struction and maintenance of a necessarily
American ship canal, Is abrogated. It spe
cially provides that tho United States
alone snail oo inn wont 01 uununig nnu
assume tho responsibility of safeguarding
the canal and shall regulate Its neutral uso
by all nations on terms- of equality
without the guarantee or Interference
of any outsldo nation from any quar
ter. Tho signed treaty will at once
be laid before thn senate, and If ap
proved thq congress can then proceed to
give effect to the advantages It secures
us by providing for the building of tho
canal."
The Monroe Doctrine.
The president sets forth the objects of
the Monroe doctrine, nnd tho spirit in
which It has been received by other
countries, and In connection with It says
this nation has not tho slightest desire to
acqulro any territory at the expenso of
any of our neighbors, and cites our atti
tude toward Cuba as a guarantee of our
good faith. Ho says also that "this
doctrine hns nothing to do with the com
mercial relations of any American power
savo that It In truth allows each of them
to form such as It desires." That "wo
do not ask for any excluslvo commercial
treaty with any other American state."
He says of this:
"The Monroo doctrine should be tho
cardinal fcaturo of the foreign policy of
all the nations of tho two Amerlcns as
it Is of tho Unltod States. Just "S yearn
have passed slnco President Monroo In
his annual message announced thnt 'tho
Amerlcnn continents nro henceforth not
to be consldored as subjects for future
colonization by any European power.' In
other words, the Monroe doctrine Is n
declaration thnt thero must bo no terri
torial aggrandizement by any non-American
power at tho expense of any Ameri
can power on Amerlcnn soil. It Is In no
wise Intended as hostile to any nation In
tho old world. Still less Is It intendod to
glvo cover to any aggression by ono now
world power nt tho expenso of any other.
It Is simply a step, and a long step, to
war 1 assuring tho universal ponce of tho
world by securing tho possibility' of per
manent peaco on this hemisphere,"
The Navy.
The president urges the continued up
building of tho nnvy ns a means of per
forming our International duties as well us
a protection and snfeguard for our Inter
national rlghtB. lie urges that our plnco
as a llrst-class power necessitates the
building and maintenance of a navy In
keeping with our plnce among tho nations
of the world, and snys:
"Bo fnr from being In nny way n provo
cation to war, nn ndequnte nnd highly
trained navy is the best gunrnnteo ngnlnst
war, tho cheapest and most effective peace
Insurance. The cost of building nnd mnln
tnlnlng men n nnvy represents the very
lightest premium for Insuring pence which
this nntlon can possibly pay."
He recommends both tho construction
of more ships nnd tho addition of more
officers nnd men ns absolutely necessary,
and says:
"There should be no cessation In tho
work of completing our nnvy. So far In
genuity has been wholly unnblo to dnvisc
a aubstltuto for tho grent war craft whoso
hammering guns beat out the mnstcry of
thn high Hens. It Is unsafe and unwise
not to provldo this year for soveral addi
tional battleships nnd heavy armored
cruisers, with auxiliary and lighter crnft
In proportion. For tho exnet number and
character I refer you to tho report of tho
secretary of tho navy. But there Is some
thing wo need even more than additional
ships, nnd Ibis is nddltlonnl officers nnd
men. To provide battleships and cruis
ers nnd then lay them up, with tho ex
pectation of leaving them unmnnnod un
til they nre needed in nctunl war, would
bo worso thnn folly. It would be a crime
agulnst tho nation.
The Army.
No'' Increase In the regular army Is
deemed necessary at this time, but there
are Ktveral changes In that branch of the
government ecrvlcc which the president
recommends to congress Chief of these
Is the establishment of a staff department,
nnd of this he says:
"A general staff should be created. As
for the general btalf nnd supply depart
ments, they should be filled by details
from the line, the men so detailed return
ing nfter awhile to their line duties. It is
very undesirable to havo the senior grades
of tho nrmy composed of men who have
come to fill the positions by tho mere fact
of seniority. A system should be adopted
by which there shall be an elimination
grade by grade of thoso who foem unfit
to render the best service In the next
grade. Justice to the veterans of tho
civil war who nre still In tho nrmy would
seem to require that In the matter of re
tirements they be given by law the snine
julvlleges accorded to their comrades in
the navy,"
Another recommendntlon which the pres
ident makes in connection with tho nrmy
Ik for the reduction of tho "paper work"
of the service, known to tho public ns "red
tape." Of thht he says:
"i-very effort should be made to bring
tho nrmy to a comtantly Increasing stat
of efllclency. When on actual service, no
work savo thnt directly In the lino of &uch
servlco should bo required. Tho paper
work In tho nrmy, ns In the navy, should
be greatly reduced, Whnt Is needed la
proved power of command and capacity
to work well In tho Held. Constant enro
Is necessary to prevent dry rot In tho
transportation and commissary depart
ments." Ho also urges tho ennctment of legis
lation In connection with tho militia and
natlonnl guard forces of tho nation that
they may bo better fitted for active serv
lco In tlmo of war, and snys:
"Our mllltla law Is obsoleto nnd worth
less. Tho organization nnd armament of
the national guard of tho several states,
which are treated an mllltla In tho ap
propriations by the congross, should bo
made Identical with thoso provldod for
tho regular forces. Tho obligations and
duties of tho guard In tlmo of war should
bo carefully defined and a syalom estab
lished by law under which tho mothod ot
procedure of raising volunteer force
should bo prescribed In advance. It Is ut
terly Impossible In tho cxcltumcnt anil
haste of Impending war to do this satis
factorily If tho arrangements havo not
been made long beforehand. Provision
should bo made for utilizing In tho first
volunteer organizations called out tho
training of thoso citizens who havo al
ready had oxporlcnco under arms, and
especially for the selection in advance of
tho ofllcors of any forco which may bo
raised; for careful selection of tho kind
nccessnry Is Impossible after tho outbreak
of war."
He praises tho vetcrnns of tho civil wnr,
tho war with Spain and those who havo
rendered tho nntlon valiant servlco In tho
Indian uprisings of tho west and In tho
Philippines, nnd counsels continued lib
erality In tho nation's dealing with them.
Tho Civil Service.
Ho rccommonds tho enactment of legis
lation thnt will placo under tho rulings
of tho merit system mnny elnsses of em
ployes not now governed by It. Ills rec
ommendation for this Is as follows:
"I recommend tho passage of a law
which will extend tho classified service to
tho District of Columbia or will at least
enable the president thus to extend It.
In my Judgment all laws providing for
tho temporary employment of clerks
should hereafter contain a provision that
thoy ,bo selected under tho civil ucrvlco
law."
Ho nlso wlshen tho merit system to ob
tnln In tho government servlco In tho
colonies, and snys:
"Not an ofllco should ho filled In tho
Philippines or Porto itlco with any regard
to tho man's partisan afllllatlons or serv
ices, with nny regard to tho political, so
cial or personal inllucnco which ho may
havo at his command. In short, heed
should bo paid to absolutely nothing savo
tho man's own character and cupaclty
and tho needs of tho service.
"Tho administration of theso lslandn
should bo as wholly freo from tho sus
picion ot partisan politics as tho admin
istration of tho army and navy. All that
wo ask from tho public servant In tho
Philippines or Porto Itlco Is that ho re
flect honor on his country by tho way In.
which ho makes that country's rule u,
benellt to tho peoples who havo como un
der It. This la all that wo should ask
and wo cannot afford to bo content with,
less."
Other Ilccoiiinientlnflonn.
Among other recommendations which tha
president makes aro those asking for leg
lslutloB thnt will Improve the consular serv
ice along lines outlined In bills Introduced:
at previous sessions, and he says thatr
"It Is truo that tho service Is now In tho
main efficient, but a standard of cxccllcnco
cannot bo permanently maintained until
the principles set forth in tho bills here
tofore submitted to tho congress on this
subject aro enacted Into law."
He bclloves tho tlmo has arrived when
the Indian should ccaBe to be treated as a
member of a tribe, but aa an individual,
and recommends breaking up tho tribal
funds, putting a stop to tho indiscriminate
permission to Indians to lease their allot
ments and stopping the ration system. Ho
recommends also the establishment of an.
Industrial educational system, and an en
deavor to encourage the Indians to become
cattle raisers rather than agriculturists.
wheTo their lands-are unsultod to fiu! latter.
He recommends liberal appropriations fui
the Louisiana Purchase exposition and an
appropriation covering expenses Incunnl
by tho Charleston exposition In removing
government exhibits from tho Buffalo ex
position to that at Charleston.
Another of his recommendations Is for
a permanent census bureau, as It would In
sure hotter, cheaper and more BatlBfactory
work In the Interest of business, Btntistlciv
economic and social science.
The I'ontiil Service,
Ho calls attention to tho growth of thn
postal system and to tho fact that tho ar.
nual deficit In this department of tho gov
ernment service has been reduced to tl-o
small sum of J3.C23.727. This, ho snys, r oi Id '
further be Increased nnd possibly a su.vimi
shown but for tho fact that many publi
cations aro now securing tho pound rato
as second-class mall matter which aro not
entitled to tho same under tho law. Or
this ho says:
"Tho full measure of postal progrnso
which might bo realized has long boen
hampered and obstructed by the heavy
burden Imposed on the government
through the Intrenched and well-undor-stood
abuses which havo grown In con
nection with second-class mall matter.
Tho extent of this burden appears when It
Is stated that, while t,he second-olasa mut
ter makes nearly three-fifths of tho weight
of all tho mail, it paid for tho last fiscal'
year only $1,2!14,45 of tho aggregate ptital
revenue of J111,C31,1CJ3. If tho pound lulef
of postage, which produces tho Inrgr loss
thus entailed and which was fixed by tho
congress with the purposo of oncoiin sing
tlio dlssomlnatlon of public informi .lop.
wero limited to the legitimate newsp. pern
and periodicals actually contomplate"! by
tho law, no Just exception could be taken.
That expense would be tho recognized and
accepted cost of a liberal public policy de
liberately adopted for n Justifiable end.
But much of tho matter which enjoys tho
privileged rato Is wholly outsldo of tho
intent of thn law nnd hns secured admis
sion only through nn evnslon of Its re
quirements or through lax construction. -.
Tho proportion of nuch wrongly Included
matter is estimated by postal experts to
bo one-half of tho wholo volume of second
class mall. If It be only one-third or one
quarter, tho magnitude of tho burden is
apparent. Tho post olllce department ha
now undertaken to remove the abuses so
far an posslblo by a stricter application
of tho law, and It should bo sustained In.
its effort."
The Chlnenc nifflcnlilcN.
Ho calls uttentlon to the satisfactory
settlement of tho Chinese dlfllcultica of"
last year, and this nation's part In tho
settlement, and says provisions havo
been made for insuring the future safety
of tho foreign representatives. Of tho
promises mado by China lie says:
"The Chlneso government has agreed ta
participate financially In tho work of bet
tering tho water approaches to Shanghai
and to Tientsin, tho centers of foreign
trado in centrnl and northern China, and
nn International conoervnncy board, In
which tho Chlneso government Is lnrgely
represented, has been provided for tho
Improvement of tho Shanghai river and
tho control of Its navigation. In tho same
Hue of commercial advantages a revision
of tho present tariff on Imports has been
assented to for tho purposo ot substitut
ing specific for nd valorem duties, and an
oxpert hns been sent abroad on tho part
of the United States to assist in thla
work. A list of articles to rcmnln freo of
duty, Including flour, cereals and rice,
gold nnd silver coin nnd bullion, has also
been agreed upon In tho settlement."
In conclusion, ho mentions thn Pan
American congress, now In session nt the.
City of Mexico, nnd refers to the death of
Queen Victoria nnd tho downger empress
of Germany, which nroused the genulno
sympnthy of tho people of this country,
which sympathy was fully reciprocated"
by tho peoplo of both theso nations upon,
tho assassination of President McKlnicy..